Ragusa (Ragusa Province) is the provincial capital, alt. 502 m, in the south Montie Iblei, on the right of the River Irminio, area, 442.46 sq km, pop. 68,486, post-code 97100, tel. 0932. Economy: Agriculture; industries: asphalt and oil mining, foodstuffs, chemicals, building, petroleum products; handmade embroidery; tourism, in the summer also at the seaside resort of Marina di Ragusa.
History of the city: The city consists of two separate centers, Ragusa Ibla and Ragusa Superiore, which were unified in 1926 and raised to the status of provincial capital. The older center is Ragusa Ibla, the ancient Hybla Heraia, a Sicel city Hellenized in the 6th century BC. The city declined under the Romans. After the Byzantine domination it was conquered in 848 by the Muslims, and later by the Normans. It was extremely prosperous in the Chiaromontine age, in the 13th and 14th centuries after the earthquake in 1693 it was rebuilt in baroque style. Ragusa Superiore also dates from after 1693, and its layout is orderly and rational.
Visit the Town: The Cathedrale, San Giovanni Battista, in the upper city, was begun in the early 18th century and completed in 1760. The Cathedral has an ample low facade and the interior is characterized by a series of smooth columns. Vertical pilaster strips divide up the 18th century Casa canonica, which backs on to the apsidal wall of the Cathedral.
Of interest: the Museo Archeologico Ibleo; Palazzo Cosentini in typicaly exuberant baroque style; the 18th century Palazzo della Cancelleria; The Giardino Ibleo.
The Provincial Archives (Archivio di Stato) has a web site at http://archivi.beniculturali.it/ASRG/index.html. They are located at:
The Diocese Archives are located at:
Churches (Ragusa Diocese) include the following:
Links to other sites about Ragusa include:
My latest book on CD is titled Sicily - A Reference for Researchers and is now available. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.
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